Ideas for Unit 204 - Production Jewellery

So as this unit has an open theme....I'm going to research maps, post cards, etc....with the view of maybe looking at journeys and travel..but I'm not really sure..but its a start.

I also tried to buy some steel today as I want to make my own chasing tools....well I did'nt know what thought would be a simple task would turn out to be such a pain!!! There seems to be so many types and I don't want to end up getting the wrong sort. I'm now going to google 'Tool Steel' and see where that leads. Wish me Luck

New Project Unit 204

and for the visual interest here my bench

So this is the new project for the next five weeks

I think I will choose the jewellery design..but not sure of the theme yet.

TASK DESIGN for CONSTRUCTION

Innovative design for production in silversmithing, goldsmithing or jewellery

As with most of your projects in year two this unit extends self selection still further to

enable you to choose any one of the three specialist course options as well as using

a personal theme of your own for the assignment. This study unit is designed to act

as a pilot and pre cursor to the start of your degree experience in year three. You

need to generate 5 weeks of creative design work suitable for the production market

and as you develop your ideas please also focus on the essential aspect of

manufacturing time for workshop production, as this needs to be kept to a 5 week

start to finish timescale.

Select any theme, subject or area of interest and restrict the key pieces of research

material for your sketchbook and also show good evidence of your own personal

research before starting to develop some design ideas. Compile a separate research

folder for the remaining material. Use any means to show the development of your

design work, be it Maquette and model making, computer assistance, freehand

drawing etc.

You are required to select one of the following:

SILVERSMITHING/GOLDSMITHING DESIGN

Design any item of tableware for serving, drinking or using that is to be produced in

quantity. Be as creative as you can but ensure that your design is suitable for

construction by using one or more commercial production processes i.e. spinning,

casting, etching, stamping, water jet/laser cutting CAD file/rapid prototyping etc.

Your design should incorporate other suitable materials of your choice to enhance

this production led task, and these should contribute to the visual appeal but not

impair the function and practical usage of the design.

Or

JEWELLERY DESIGN

The market for 9 and 18ct gold production orientated jewellery is massive and there

is a never-ending search for innovative answers in creating lightweight gold jewellery

for the mass market. From a business perspective companies are always keen to

exploit the use of thin gauge metal for jewellery products to offer the customer good

value for money but in many instances what they get is paper thin gold jewellery with

little or no design content.

With this in mind you might research the products of the modern European jewellery

companies such as Neissing, Par, Burg, Bunz etc, or how thin gold in large areas

were used in the 16th/17th Century South American cultures, Inca, Aztec, etc. Design

GOLD jewellery suitable for series production, with the emphasis on the metal, its

form, structural strength and surface decoration.

Be as creative as you can but ensure that your design is suitable for construction by

using one or more commercial production processes i.e. spinning, casting, etching,

stamping, water jet/laser cutting, laser welding etc. Gemstones only can be

integrated in your design but it must be a predominately led by the gold/metal

content.

Business Studies Dossier

Having undertaken a materials and production costing in the previous study unit that

was supported with staff lecture/demonstrations we want you to build on this

experience by doing a full costing of your chosen design for manufacture to arrive at

both wholesale and retail prices for your design. In addition you are required to do a

case study (research) of one designer aligned to your style of work or as close to it

as you can, and include this in your dossier. The culture that we have been

promoting for this important aspect of your learning is to increase your knowledge

and understanding of business practice, be thorough, presentable and professional

with your work and to have a good contextual understanding of your designs in

relation to the industry.

Your dossier should contain a full account of all materials that you would need to

manufacture and complete the piece, and a detailed breakdown of the times involved

through the production stages of manufacture, both wholesale and retail prices, all

neatly typed and professionally presented. This task will both confirm what you have

previously been learning and serve as an excellent foundation for next years

business and marketing studies. Please remember that this task is an assessment

requirement and do not start your dossier too late within the 5 weeks.

Assessment Day - Unit 203

Assessment day for our ten week project was yesterday...so after a day of making sure that I had not forgotten anything and a last design tutorial with Jen...I laid out every thing..which to my surprise was quite a bit really ( see Photo ). I think I get my mark back next Thursday, hopefully I'll do OK, but I'll have to wait and see

Zandra Rhodes

Got this in an e-mail from uni today

Congratulations!

You have been awarded a place at the installation of UCA's first Chancellor Zandra Rhodes. The ceremony will take place at Banqueting House, Whitehall, at 3pm, and will be followed by drinks and nibbles.

This should be fun, I must remember to take my camera

Wednesday = Self Study Day!!!!

Today I went over to the printers in Sandwich to print out and bind my sysnopsis, research proforma and brooch costing for tomorrows assessment. The rest of the day will be spent making sure I have not forgotten anything!!

Tuesdays update

Tuesday I finished all my Brooch's for the assessment on Thursday and the clear mould of the moonstones worked very well. I ask Kevin to cut the mould for me...as it is a skill I do not have..and he is very skilled at it (note the high tec fork!!!)

Some more photo's of todays work

1st day back @ Uni after Easter Break

today was my 1st day back at Uni after the Easter Break so I was very busy getting stuff done that I can't do in the workshop at home. So today I got the narrative brooches silver plated, got some more of mr grim ready for casting. Then finished the brooch on the laser. and made a clear mold of the moonstones I got from Basel..so all in all a good day.

Laser Project

Here is the brooch I have been working on for my laser project. Made from 925 Silver with blonde rutilated quartz and black habu thread.

Some of today design work

Here are some the designs from today

More Narrative Work

here are some of my narrative jewellery...they are unfinished at the moment

Design day - again

Today it still a design day....but the project is for design only. Have to design some Silver Tableware based on opposites. So my theme is Old & New...and I will use this old tea pot as my reference material. For this project I will try and use Rhino (CAD) and Maxwell (Rendering).

Workshop visitor

Today I had a visitor in my workshop...the lovely Lauren..who needed to use my bench, so as I was busy designing, Lauren made a fantastic ring....sorry but forgot to take a picture..so instead here's Lauren.

Design project: Found Object

I'm working on a design that must use a found object. My found object is frankincense so I have looked at the design of censer...this is a container in which the frankincense is burned. While researching I come across the work of Adrian Hope who has made some beautiful Silver Reliquaries with gold inlay. My designs are not coming on as today I'm mr empty head....but tomorrow is another day. Today at least I finished my synopsis and book review.

Work in progress: Title The Only

This is work in progress and have started to work in the narrative.